August is waning in the northland. You can feel it in the perpetual whispering through the tall pines. Almost Indian summer days have been the order, mostly sunny and warm with pull-up-the-covers nights.

A couple days have been more than just breezy too. Winds thrashing down Gunflint Lake caused considerable angst for most marine navigators regardless of skill level.

A couple of obviously unassuming urbanites, who had no business in the first place even venturing out onto the rough waters, had a tough trip motoring east up the Gunflint Gal last week. They then found the turnaround for a return trip westward even scarier, as their craft was being tossed about like one of those hot colored fishing bobbers on some 4- to 5-foot rollers.

In a wise effort to avoid an unwanted dip in the lake, they pulled in at a south shore dock a couple places down the way. They were found in a shocked state, wondering if they were headed in the right direction to Gunflint Lodge and how far it was, by yours truly and my good neighbor walking up the Mile O Pine.

Since the Lodge was yet a few miles away, being a good Gunflint Samaritan, my kind neighbor cranked up his car and gave one of the two out of breath wannabe adventurers a ride back to his point of departure. The other member of the party sat down alongside the road with her big dog and waited for the partner to come back with transportation.

Potential tragedy was avoided by this couple, but I can’t imagine for the life of me why anyone in their right mind would tempt fate with Mother Nature causing such a stir?

One of our local berry picking enthusiasts tells me of finding a nice patch of raspberries. In the center of the matted prickly stalks was a nest of some proportion where an animal had apparently been holing up.

She’s guessing, and I’m betting that she’s right, it must have been a spot where br’er bear settled in for a nap and, most likely, easy red berry picking.

With September lurking, northland folks can see the handwriting on the wall. Roadside weeds are a hodgepodge amongst the golden rod and tansy blooms, twisting in the winds, only now unable to untangle themselves. Time is running short for berry picking Brunos, hummingbirds seem to be nervously intolerant of each other at the nectar station and I’ve observed a couple of the non-parental loons partying overhead during the sundown hour. It seems they must be in the early stages of the impending gathering prior to their long trip (probably checking their GPS bearings).

On the domestic side, anxiety is growing for gardeners up this way in regard to green tomatoes that are surely never going to ripen before frost. There is also a sense of ‘just how long do I have left before I should start thinking about winterizing the boat and pulling in the dock.’ Yes, it’s unmistakable, summer is almost gone and for some, breakin’ up, as always, is hard to accept!
But, take heart northlanders, the wonders of autumn are accelerating. The Labor Day holiday is both an ending and a beginning. Our granite mountainsides and rugged valleys will soon be alive with a color show to boggle the mind, and the solitude of crystal blue lakes will capture the momentary reflections of border country in its fall ‘go to meetin’ attire. It’s a time of celebrating the memories of a season past in Technicolor, so come along and enjoy the journey.

Speaking of Labor Day weekend, folks up this way should be marking the calendars for a trip to the end of the Trail on Sunday the fourth. Yup, plan to come up to the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center for the second annual pie and ice cream social.

Organizers of the fundraiser will provide a taste of the Gunflint with great pies baked and donated by area residents and businesses.

The sweetness festivities will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Why not make a day of it? Plan to take in the museum, hike the trails and enjoy treats from the best along the Gunflint!